Carrying boxes, and especially lunchboxes, particularly when intended for use by small children, present special design problems.
The lunchbox must be relatively inexpensive, and at the same time of sturdy construction. The lunchbox should also be easily opened by a young child, while at the same time secure against accidental opening, particularly when subjected to relatively rough handling as might be expected as the children interact in travelling to and from school, on field trips, and the like.
While a degree of safety might be said to reside in a typical metal lunchbox incorporating duplicate spaced latches, such dual latches do not individually prevent the release of the other latch, but rather act independently of each other in securing spaced portions of the lunchbox. Each latch of such a dual latch arrangement must also be individually manipulated to both secure the lunchbox lid and release the lid. While the procedure involved is relatively simple and straightforward, when dealing with very young children, for example children of kindergarten age, such procedures can be a source of difficulty.
It will also be recognized that most conventional lunchboxes, particularly those of the type incorporating a handle, utilize a substantial number of individual pieces, including separate shells, hinges, latches, handles, and the like.